Justin Bieber - My World 2.0
Record Label: Island / BMG
Release Date: March 19, 2010
Justin Bieber. Merely the name can reduce tween girls to tears and hysterical giggly screaming fits. In case you have been living under a rock and have no idea who he is, he is the new poster boy of the J-descendents: Justin Timberlake, Jesse McCartney, and the Jonas Brothers. He is a teeny-bopper with a Karen O bowl-cut, and he WILL fix it every 5 minutes, even though he is nowhere near a scene kid. Before I go any further I must warn you that this review will not necessarily be something a Bieber fan would want to read. Beliebers of the Bieber, you're better off reading your Teen Beat magazines. Seriously.
"My World 2.0" starts off with the popular single "Baby." Like the rest of his songs, it is very catchy and is destined to be made mainstream. The sheer lyrical genius of the chorus ("Baby, baby, baby ooh/Like baby, baby, baby nooo/ Like baby, baby, baby ohh) is enough to launch it to number one in charts around the world. On a sidenote, what the heck is Ludacris doing in this song? I kind of regard Luda as the Rock of music. Appearing in "Baby" is almost like appearing in the "Tooth Fairy." At the same time, it is understandable due to the mass appeal Bieber has with the female population. Perhaps Ludacris simply making a smart career choice.
The next song is "Somebody To Love." The first thing that popped up in my mind is why he would choose to name it after a legendary Queen song. Naming debacle aside, it is a reminiscent of all the remotely catchy dance-pop plaguing the radio today. The general feeling would be that he is trying too hard to be catchy like Chris Brown and only pulls off a pale replica to previous artists of his style. "Stuck In The Moment" is a reasonably good song with the exception of the first few lines. There seems to be a pattern with mainstream artists feeling the urge to compare themselves to Romeo and Juliet. There are worthier duos out there like perhaps Phineas and Ferb? Juno and Bleeker? Chazz Michael Michaels and Jimmy McElroy?
"U Smile" and "Runaway Love" are both overproduced R'n'B tracks. It doesn't sound unlistenable, but at the same time, there is not really any originality. "Never Let You Go" features his twin sister Justine Bieber. Just kidding. It is, however, his newest single and frankly, it's one of the better tracks on the album. A nice ballad with radio appeal, sung with the lovelorn feeling only a 16 year old boy can feel. I found myself liking this song before my better judgment set in.
"Overboard" gave me a little amusement upon hearing that the girl's voice is lower than his. Again, it is a ballad with an okay set of lyrics. Although I can't stand Sean Kingston, "Eenie Meenie" is a tremendously catchy song, with its clever usage of the old rhyme/chant. I was surprised by Bieber's lower register in "Up." If this is how he will sound after puberty, he just might be able to sell more records. "Up" is actually a pretty good song with adequate lyrics and vocals, and manages to be different at the same time.
"My World 2.0" has enough appeal to excite the masses, but lacks any creativity or substance. This album further darkens the line that divides his fans and haters. One can appreciate his feeble attempts to make his music relatable and meaningful, but at the end of the day, he will always get the better end of the deal. As much as we can hate on him and his voice, he has a sturdy enough fanbase to make him enough money to send himself to university a hundred times over. The downside is that his critics will be forced to listen to him crank out generic single after generic single until he will be sucked into the world of child-star obscurity. Somebody find a cure for this Bieber Fever before it is too late.
Browse Reviews
Write a Review
Alphabetized Listing
Popular Reviews
Best New Music
View Profile Picture
View Blog
View Signature
Posts: 12,741
Currently Playing
Follow This Review
More Reviews By This Author